Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle has formally assumed the titular diocese of Albano, one of the historic suburbicarian sees surrounding Rome, on Saturday, October 11 through a Mass held at the Albano Cathedral .
The suburbicarian diocese of Albano is among the seven ancient ecclesiastical territories traditionally reserved for the highest-ranking members of the Church’s College of Cardinals.
Although a cardinal bishop is given the honorary title of the diocese, it continues to function independently under its own resident bishop and administrative structure.
Tagle succeeds Cardinal Robert Prevost, who previously held the title before being elected as Pope Leo XIV in May.
Prevost was originally scheduled to take possession of the diocese on May 10 but was elected pontiff two days earlier, on May 8.
Pope Leo XIV appointed Tagle to the titular diocese on May 24, recognizing his service as pro-prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization.
In 2020, Pope Francis elevated Tagle to the rank of cardinal bishop, placing him within the Church’s most senior order of cardinals.
At that time, Tagle retained his titular church, San Felice da Cantalice a Centocelle, because no suburbicarian diocese was available for assignment.
The suburbicarian dioceses surrounding Rome, Albano, Ostia, Velletri-Segni, Porto-Santa Rufina, Frascati, Palestrina, and Sabina-Poggio Mirteto, represent some of the oldest episcopal sees in the Catholic tradition.
Each diocese holds a symbolic but prestigious role, linking the cardinal bishops to the historical roots of the Church in Rome.
